Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Number Of Kids With Type 1 Diabetes Soared During Pandemic, Study Finds
Reuters: Study Links COVID-19 To Rise In Childhood Type 1 Diabetes
Cases of type 1 diabetes among children in a small UK study almost doubled during the peak of Britain’s COVID-19 epidemic, suggesting a possible link between the two diseases that needs more investigation, scientists said on Tuesday. While the study is based on only a handful of cases, it is the first to link COVID-19 and new-onset type 1 diabetes in children, and doctors should be on the look-out, the Imperial College London researchers said. (Kelland, 8/18)
Reuters: Pandemic Now Driven By 20s, 30s, 40s Group, Many Asymptomatic: WHO
The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of which were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups. “The epidemic is changing,” WHO Western Pacific regional director, Takeshi Kasai, told a virtual briefing. “People in their 20s, 30s and 40s are increasingly driving the spread. Many are unaware they are infected.” (Lema and Jerome Morales, 8/17)
NPR: How Bars Are Fueling COVID-19 Outbreaks
From the early days of the U.S. coronavirus outbreak, states have wrestled with the best course of action for the nation's imperiled bars and nightclubs. Many of these businesses find their economic prospects tied to a virus that preys on their industry's lifeblood — social gatherings in tight quarters. Public health experts and top health officials, including the Dr. Tony Fauci, say the evidence is abundantly clear: When bars open, infections tend to follow. (Stone, 8/18)
NPR: What We Know About How Air Conditioners Spread COVID-19
In the dog days of August, air conditioning is everywhere. Is that a problem when it comes to the spread of the coronavirus? The answer to that question rests on the way the virus is transmitted — a topic that is still being researched. (Craig, 8/15)
The Hill: Workplace Coronavirus Outbreaks Disproportionately Affecting Nonwhite Workers: CDC
Outbreaks of COVID-19 in workplaces are disproportionately impacting Hispanic and Latino workers, especially those employed in the manufacturing, wholesale trade and construction industries, according to an analysis released Monday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The analysis, which focused on COVID-19 outbreaks in Utah workplaces between March and June, found COVID-19 outbreaks tied to workplaces in 15 industries. Of the 277 COVID-19 outbreaks reported to the state in that time period, 210 occurred in workplaces. (Hellmann, 8/17)
ABC News: 5 Lasting Changes From The COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 has completely changed life, and while many hope those changes are temporary, the pandemic has unearthed weaknesses in the status quo. After every major crisis, humanity is forced to identify those weaknesses and evolve accordingly. The 2020 pandemic, in its aftermath, is set to change life for a very long time. Here are five fundamental ways. (Kumar and Prasad Modalavalasa, 8/16)
ABC News: COVID-19 Survivors Talk About Challenges To Recovery Months After Contracting Virus
The families of Raul Pero and Titou Phommachahn are glad to have them back home after hard-fought battles against COVID-19. Yet, months after they began their recovery, both survivors are still grappling with the long road to recovery. "I still have nerve damage in both hands, in both arms. … I'm still weak," Pero, of Denver, Colorado, told "Nightline." "But also, I feel electric shocks down from my elbow to my fingers." (Lefferman, 8/17)
NBC News: Sharon Stone Blames 'Non-Mask Wearers' For Sister's Coronavirus Diagnosis
Sharon Stone has placed the blame for her sister's COVID-19 diagnosis squarely on "non-mask wearers." ... Stone said her sister "does not have an immune system" and before she was diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, she had gone only to the pharmacy. (Griffith, 8/17)
In news about the elderly —
CNN: New Jersey Couple Dies Hours Apart Just Two Days After Losing Their Son To Coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy Says
A New Jersey couple married for 62 years died hours apart just two days after losing their son to coronavirus, Gov. Phil Murphy said in a press conference last week. John Freda, a 51-year-old optician who was best described as funny, thoughtful, intelligent and introspective, lost his battle with Covid-19 on April 22, said Murphy. His parents, Larry and Vicki, died just two days later and hours apart. The couple also died from Covid-19, according to a state official. (Alsharif, 8/17)
Kaiser Health News: Isolation, Disruption And Confusion: Coping With Dementia During A Pandemic
Daisy Conant, 91, thrives off routine. One of her favorites is reading the newspaper with her morning coffee. But, lately, the news surrounding the coronavirus pandemic has been more agitating than pleasurable. “We’re dropping like flies,” she said one recent morning, throwing her hands up. “She gets fearful,” explained her grandson Erik Hayhurst, 27. “I sort of have to pull her back and walk her through the facts.” (de Marco, 8/18)
